2015 Kia Soul EV Spied: One Hummed By the Cuckoo's Nest

What It Is: Kia’s perky Soul, electrified and caught scurrying about on a photo shoot a few days before the official unveiling of the production model at the 2014 Chicago auto show. This Soul EV looks for all the world like Kia’s box in a hospital gown, given that it’s rendered in white with white wheel inserts and has a baby blue contrasting roof, mirror caps, fascia trim, and headlamp surrounds. The grille has been closed off and includes what appears to be a movable panel on the driver’s side, likely for plug access. No word on whether this color combo will be available for customers when the Soul EV goes on sale later this year, or if this is purely a show-car livery, but the body modifications and the LED running lamps and taillamps are guarantees for production.

Why It Matters: This is not Kia’s first EV—that distinction goes to the teensy Ray EV sold in Korea. This will, however, be the first Kia EV sold in the U.S., and it therefore gives Kia a beachhead into the burgeoning American electric-car market. It also, for what it’s worth, is the first automobile from any company to earn UL Environment validation for the use of bio-based organic compounds for 10 percent of its interior materials, including biodegradable plastics, bio-foam, and bio-fabric, which is what we’re going to start calling leather.

Left: 2015 Kia Soul EV, Right: 2014 Kia Soul 2.0

Platform: Well, the Soul EV is based on the Soul, so there’s not a lot of news to report there, but additional soundproofing materials are baked in to quell the road noises that become much more intrusive in the absence of engine sound. The Soul EV will also get a sound system that emits noises outside the vehicle at speeds below 12 mph and whenever the car is in reverse. We would hope that it sounds like a Hemi, but, well, it won’t.

Powertrain: The Soul EV will be powered by a 109-hp electric motor that produces 210 lb-ft of torque, and it will employ a single-speed, constant-ratio gear-reduction transmission to turn the front wheels. A 27-kWh lithium-ion juice box can be fully charged in 25 minutes using a 100-kilowatt plug. A 240-volt outlet will require five hours to fully charge a drained battery, while a 110-volt plug will take more than eight hours. Reaching benchmark speed—that’s 60 mph—from a stop will take roughly 12 seconds, and the Soul EV will top out at 90-ish mph.

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